The “cloud” is a bank of rack mounted server hardware in temperature controlled rooms where power supply and internet connections never fail. Safety precautions are set in place to make sure access to the stored application data is available 24/7. Typically all data is backed up regularly and data storage is secure, making this a very reliable solution. The cloud is all the rage these days as consumers try to free themselves from storing their data on local PC’s. Instead of buying, maintaining and replacing your own hardware as well as configuring and updating your server software, these large up-front costs are deferred over time with low monthly rates to rent space on the cloud.

“We have two showroom locations and I can check our daily status from my iPad whenever I travel between both locations.” Elaine Gray, Sales Manager at the A. Hoke Ltd. Showroom , Charlotte & Raleigh NC

Hosting your Designer or Showroom software is easy. In some cases the cloud can act as a temporary place to park your software and data until you decide if you do want to change or own your own hardware. The beauty of this solution is that it is very scalable as your firm’s needs change over the years. Should you ever need to pull down all your cloud data and keep going with it on a laptop or peer to peer network, you are not tied into paying indefinitely to gain access to your data.

Windows Server 2012 R2 is the server operating system that allows publishing of your software and data. The “pipe” through which this software solution is delivered to your device is the latest iteration of a protocol named remote desktop web publishing. It works beautifully with iPads, MacBooks & iMacs as well as Android tablets, Laptop PC’s and smart phones. It is a platform independent solution for Designers on the move who want to work from different locations .